Process of making detergents.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

GODFREY BAMBERG, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF MAKING DETERGENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,602, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed September 12,1901. Serial No. 75,209. (No specimens.)

To all 2072,0111, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GODFREY BAMBERG, a subject of the King ofGreatBritain, residing at Boswell House, Bolt Court, Fleet street,London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inProcesses of Making Detergents, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object the manufacture of a dry detergentpowder,which shall be instantly and completely soluble in cold water,from oatmeal or the meal of other suitable cereal, olein, (commercialoleic acid,) and caustic soda of density sufficient to cause thechemical change in the oatmeal and combination between the oleic acidand soda,which by subsequent absorption of carbonic acid shall produce adry detergent powder of exceptional cleansing properties and the wholeof which manufacture and chemical reactions shall be carried on withoutthe application of heat.

In carrying out my invention I put into a powerful mixer a charge ofoatmeal or the meal of other suitable cereal and add onehalf of theentire charge of olein and run the mixer for about five minutes tothoroughly incorporate the meal and oil and then mix with it theremaining half of the oil. A charge of caustic alkali in .solution ofdensity 1.375 to 1.4 specific gravity is now poured into the mixer andrun for fifteen minutes, at the end of which time the whole of thecharges are converted into a friable solid ma-' terial, which can bereadily run through machine-sieves and granulated. Considerable heat isevolved during the several chemical reactions which take place. Thegranules are placed on trays, and the free alkali thereof absorbscarbonic-acid gas from the atmosphere, forming carbonate of soda, whichcarbonate takes up the water of the mixture as water of crystallization,the mixture becoming in the course of a weeks exposure a dry powder,which has increased in weight by its exposure from eight to tenper-cent. The oatmeal hulls are decorticated during the operation of theprocess, and the caustic alkali decomposes them to asoluble mass. Thepowder when desired can now be ground and perfumed or an antiseptic,such as thymol, be added. This powder is completely soluble in coldwater and is far more cleansing than soap, the oatmeal being entirelychanged in composition.

I find one of the best proportions in the charges for insuring theproduct shall be properly available for after process is as follows:oatmeal, eighteen pounds; olein, thirteen pounds; caustic soda, twelvepounds, dissolved in water to be of density 40 Baum. The weight of thewater mixed with twelve pounds of caustic soda is twenty-two pounds,equal to two gallons and one quart. This will produce after the Weeksexposure to the atmosphere and taking up carbonic acid seventy-twopounds of dry soap powder.

When it is desired that sodium carbonate should not be present in thepowder, before turning the product from the mixer a charge of ammoniumsulfate may be run in, so as to produce some sulfate of soda instead bythe reaction with the free alkali. present in the mixture beforecarbonation. A soap powder for toilet purposes can also be made bymixing with the oleine a dextrinized meal in suitable proportions andthe alkali in proportion to exactly combine with the olein added andafter working the mixer adding some odorless dextrine to bring thematerial to a condition suitable for granulation and drying.

Instead of olein, cotton-seed or other oils, as free as possible fromstearin or stearic acid, may be used; but the olein is the best suitedfor this purpose.

I declare that what I claim is 1. A process of manufacturing a detergentpowder consisting in mixing olein and a suitable cereal, then addingcaustic alkali of suitable strength, and then exposing said mass to theatmosphere until the free alkali be-v comes carbonated.

2. Aprooess of manufacturing a detergent powder consisting in mixing inWater olein and a cereal, adding an alkali thereto, and then exposingthe mass to the atmosphere for the purpose set forth.

3. A process of manufacturing a detergent powder consisting inthoroughly mixing a suitable cereal and olein, then adding to themixture and thoroughly incorporating therewith caustio alkali, and thensuitably expos ing the said mixture to the atmosphere.

4. A process of manufacturing a detergent powder consisting in suitablymixing oatmeal and olein, then adding to the mixture and thoroughlyincorporating therewith caustic alkali of a sufficient strength, andthen suitably exposing the mixture to the atmosphere until the freealkali becomes carbonated.

5. A process of manufacturing adetergent powder consisting of mixingolein and oatmeal together, incorporating in the said miX-

